Gaillardia plant named ‘KIEGALYEL’

ABSTRACT

‘KIEGALYEL’ is a new  Gaillardia  plant particularly distinguished by having uniform, bright-yellow inflorescences and a uniform, compact plant habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Gaillardia aristata.

Variety denomination: ‘KIEGALYEL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Gaillardia, botanically known as Gaillardia aristata, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘KIEGALYEL’. ‘KIEGALYEL’ originated from a cross conducted in May 2004 in a cultivated field in Venhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was a proprietary unnamed Gaillardia plant (unpatented) with bicolor light-red and yellow inflorescences. The male parent was a proprietary unnamed Gaillardia plant (unpatented) with yellow inflorescences.

The new cultivar was created in the spring of 2004 in Venhuizen, The Netherlands and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings in Venhuizen, The Netherlands over a 2 year period. ‘KIEGALYEL’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Europe in September 2008. ‘KIEGALYEL’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Venhuizen, The Netherlands.

-   -   1. Uniform, bright-yellow inflorescences; and     -   2. Uniform and compact plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Gaillardia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows the plant's form, foliage and inflorescences. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photograph is of a plant approximately 4 to 5 months old in the spring/summer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KIEGALYEL’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Venhuizen, The Netherlands. The detailed description was taken from 4 to 5 month-old plants grown in a cultivated field, under natural light in the spring/summer. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 1986 Edition.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Asteraceae.         -   Botanical name.—Gaillardia aristata.         -   Common name.—Blanket flower. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female.—Unnamed Gaillardia plant (unpatented) with bicolor             light-red and yellow inflorescences.         -   Male.—Unnamed Gaillardia plant (unpatented) with yellow             inflorescences. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance, form or habit.—Compact, upright.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Fast; base branching.         -   Height (from top of soil).—25 cm.         -   Width (including inflorescences).—25 cm.         -   Time to produce a finished plant having             inflorescences.—80–100 days.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—10–12 days.         -   Root description.—White; well-spread and developed. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate and opposite.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Ovate.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Immature leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower surface:             RHS 137B.         -   Mature leaf color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower surface:             RHS 137B.         -   Length.—8 cm to 10 cm.         -   Width.—2.5 cm to 3.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Upper surface: Pubescent. Lower surface: Slightly             pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Reticulate.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A and RHS 137B             (light-green). Lower surface: RHS 137C (light-green).         -   Petioles.—Absent. -   Stems:     -   -   Average number of branches per plant.—About 15.         -   Length.—20 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Internode length.—2.0 cm to 4.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Round.         -   Color.—RHS 138C (green).         -   Texture.—Pubescent. -   Inflorescence buds:     -   -   Shape.—Round.         -   Length.—0.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—1.5 cm to 2.0 cm.         -   Color (general).—In center: Yellow-green. At margin: Yellow.         -   Texture.—Pubescent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Appearance or form.—Disc and ray florets develop acropetally             on a captiulum.         -   Type.—Composite, single-flowered.         -   Blooming habit (flowering season).—Constant, no flushes.         -   Average quantity of inflorescences per plant.—10 to 15.         -   Lastingness of the inflorescences on the plant.—10 days to             14 days.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—6.0 cm to 7.0 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth (height).—1.5 cm to 2.0 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—3.5 cm.         -   Receptical.—Shape: Hemispherical. Diameter: 3.0 cm to             4.0 cm. Depth: 1.5 cm. Color: RHS 164C (honey-yellow). -   Disc florets:     -   -   Average quantity per inflorescence.—About 100.         -   Shape.—Linear.         -   Apex.—Tridentate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—1.0 cm.         -   Diameter (at apex).—0.3 cm.         -   Diameter (at base).—0.1 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color (general).—Apex: Green-yellow. Center: Yellow. Base:             Green. -   Ray floret:     -   -   Average quantity per inflorescence.—14 to 16.         -   Length.—3.0 cm.         -   Width.—1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Denticulate.         -   Apex.—Tridentate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture (both surfaces).—Smooth.         -   Color, when opening.—Upper surface: RHS 15B and RHS 15C             (bright-yellow). Lower surface: RHS 15C (yellow).         -   Color, fully opened (both surfaces).—RHS 15C             (bright-yellow).         -   Peduncle.—Length: 10 cm to 12 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm to             0.3 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: RHS 138C (green). -   Involucral bracts:     -   -   Average quantity.—1 per disc floret.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Aspect.—Upright.         -   Length.—1.1 cm.         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Apex.—Denticulate.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin descriptor.—Entire.         -   Margin color.—RHS 138C (yellow).         -   Texture.—Pubescent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Location: Middle (in disc floret). Stamens:             Quantity: 80 to 100 . Shape: Long, bended. Filament: Length:             0.8 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Anther: Shape: V-shaped. Length:             1.0 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Pollen: Color: RHS 15B             (yellow). Amount: Moderate.         -   Gynoecium.—Pistils Number: 1 per ray floret. Length: 0.4 cm             to 0.5 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Stigma: Shape: Round. Length:             0.2 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Style: Shape: Long and 2-parted.             Length: 1.0 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Ovary length: 0.2 cm. -   Fruit/seed set: Composite seeds; light-brown to transparent in     color; achene shape and 0.9 cm in diameter. -   Disease and insect resistance: No specific disease resistance but     tolerant to mildew.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN CULTIVAR

‘KIEGALYEL’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by inflorescence color. The unnamed female parent has bi-colored light-red and yellow inflorescences and the unnamed male parent has yellow inflorescences. ‘KIEGALYEL’ has bright-yellow inflorescences.

‘KIEGALYEL’ is distinguished from the commercial variety ‘Golden Goblin’ (unpatented) by having a more compact plant habit when compared to ‘Golden Goblin’. ‘KIEGALYEL’ has a more uniform color pattern with bright-yellow inflorescences, while ‘Golden Goblin’ has yellow inflorescences that fade. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gaillardia plant as shown and described herein. 